2003-10-02

The University of Georgia administration should be investigating the nature of its possible sins because it is being slowly smitten this year.

On July 1, the basement laboratory of the pathology department at the College of Veterinary Medicine was flooded. Equipment and data were destroyed with the damage being estimated at $2.2 million.

On July 23, a fire at the Main Library caused significant damage on the second floor and smoke damage throughout all seven floors. The damage there has been estimated at $1.5 million, and the second floor is still closed for major repairs. A suspected arsonist has pleaded not guilty to charges for causing this fire. For days after this fire I saw plenty of disappointed visitors that found the library closed and had to turn away. One odd-mannered visitor on July 24 introduced himself to me as Dr. Swaskey and told me that he has written philosophy in the past but now develops merger deals, but I guess that is another story.

As if this was not enough, on September 21, a less serious disaster occurred at the Student Learning Center, another library building that had just opened in August. The sprinkler system activated on the third floor, covering it with an inch of water. Water leaked all the way down to the first floor.

The University community should be worried by this point, right? Anyone that still thought that this was all coincidental should take note of the latest disaster, a fire on October 1 at the College of Pharmacy. The building is still closed to regular use while damage is being assessed.

Clearly, the University of Georgia is being smitten by fire and by flood. The man upstairs has decided that football crowds trashing the entire county six times a year was not enough, so will whoever has sinned please repent now? The campus has been smote enough already. There will be no more smiting -- no more! It is already time for the bookstores to begin selling fireproof clothing and floatation devices with officially licensed school logos.